A Good Gift for Caregivers

Our Pastor Mike is an inspiring and encouraging teacher to us members who are at various places in our spiritual journeys. He tells me I give him support in his teaching students with special needs. We're having a wonderful time with a forty-plus student who asks question after question about how things she learned in her Confirmation class apply to her life now. Pastor Mike read, "Journey With Jeff; Inspiration for /Caregivers of People with Special Needs" as a devotional book -- one chapter a day, laughing at Jeff's antics and sympathizing with his problems. "Didn't know your book could teach me how to teach, did you?" he grinned. I am delighted and very honored. Thanks, Pastor Mike!

Inspiration and Encouragement

Inspiration and encouragement for writers was flowing at the Liftbrige Authors Extravaganza on Sunday! I spoke for about three minutes about how Jeff Reisch has journeyed from NY to CA, from GA to TX, from AK to PA in "Journey With Jeff; Inspiration for Caregivers of People with Special Needs," and how the responses from readers have been like ripples from a pebble tossed into the sea. Afterward a friend who used to wait on us at Perkins Family Restaurant when all our family -- including Jeff -- ate there, said he was jumping up and down when he recognized me at the mike. He then introduced me to his friend who will lead a marketing seminar for published authors in January -- which really interests me! Small world!~~~ Later that afternoon I met one of the women who works at Lifetime Assistance Inc., who again told me how much "Journey With Jeff" had helped her see how families handled the challenges of children with special needs. "Indeed," she said,"the book was better than a seminar!"~~~That afternoon was an inspiration and encouragement for me, the caregiver!!

Family Support

 
Family support came today in the shape of Janette, a step-cousin whose life touched mine after Jeff was here and gone. Her mother was my uncle's second wife. She was also a quiet caregiver to my father who lived nearby. Janette's encouragement for me has been a note every so often. Today she sent a story about a young woman who walked into a floral shop looking for a holiday arrangement after she had lost a baby, and her husband's job was threatened, and her sister couldn't come for the holidays. She burst into tears when the florist asked what kind of arrangement she wanted, then blurted out some of her pain. "I have just the perfect arrangement for you," said the florist, excusing herself to go back to her small workroom. She quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers! Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers? The florist explained, "Three years ago I lost my husband. For the first time in my life I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel." The woman asked, "So, what did you do?" Quietly the clerk said, "I learned to be thankful for thorns. I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me. But when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! The Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.~~~Today Janette wrote, "Journey With Jeffwas very well written....almost like I was right there with you,...crying right along with you. Some things are a blessing in disguise. We are just not able to see them, or to see it as a blessing. You have great courage and strength." Thank you, Janette, for your support and encouragement!!